Predator & Alien Comics Reading Order!

Based on the movie franchises respectively launched by Alien (1979) and Predator (1987), the Alien & Predator comics were published by Dark Horse Comics from 1988 to 2020.

Because they thought it would give the writers and artists more creative freedom and flexibility, the heads of Dark Horse Comics decided early on not to publish ongoing or unlimited titles from the license and to compose the line as a series of limited series, one-shots, and short stories, with a main focus on limited series. The first three books were a sequel to the first two Alien movies.

Quickly, the Predator franchise was added to the line, following the same editorial directive. Dark Horse Comics published continuously new miniseries, one-shots, and graphic novels set in the Alien and Predator universe, and in both of them, as “Aliens vs. Predator” stories were also regularly published, for a good decade. But between 1999 and 2008 the line was on hiatus.

In 2020, after Disney acquired FOX Studios and took control of the characters’ rights, Dark Horse lost the license to publish more Alien and Predator stories, and could not reprint anything anymore. Marvel Comics, being a Disney property, took over and started by reprinting all the stories in new omnibus collections (and now Epic Collection). Marvel also launched new miniseries (or short ongoing series).

Enter the Alien and Predator Comics Universe

Alien Comics in Order
- The Marvel Era
- The Dark Horse Era
Predator Comics in Order
- The Marvel Era
- The Dark Horse Era
Alien Vs. Predator Comics in Order

Alien Comics in Order

Since Dark Horse Comics lost the license for both Alien and Predator, their books have been harder and harder to come by. And it will be almost impossible to find some of them at a reasonable price soon enough.

Today, the best and only affordable way to find an almost complete collection of those stories is with the Marvel reprints. We will update the lists when new volumes are available and when new stories exclusive to Marvel are published.

Alien Comics: The Marvel Era

In 2021, Marvel launched an all-new Alien series with Phillip Kennedy Johnson as writer and Salvador Larroca as artist. Written by Phillip Kennedy Johnson with art by Salvador Larroca, the initial run was conceived as a 12-issue maxi-series. Set in the year 2200, it followed Gabriel Cruz, a retired Weyland-Yutani security officer haunted by past encounters with xenomorphs, as he was drawn back into conflict when the corporation’s experiments spiraled out of control.

Following this original success, Marvel expanded the franchise with one-shots, miniseries, and crossovers.

Alien: Romulus (2024) #1 – Set in 2142. Prequel to the Alien: Romulus movie.
Alien: Paradiso (2025) – Set in 2153. By Steve Foxe, Edgar Salazar, and Peter Nguyen.
Collects Alien: Paradiso (2024) #1-5.
Alien Annual (2023) #1 – Set in 2156. Have been collected in Alien by Shalvey & Broccardo Vol. 2.
Aliens: What If… – Set in 2179. What if Carter Burke, played by Paul Reiser in James Cameron’s Aliens, had lived?
Collects Aliens: What If…? (2024) #1-5.
Alien: Black, White & Blood – set in 2189. An anthology.
Collects Alien: Black, White & Blood (2024) 1-4.
Alien Annual (2022) #1 – Set in 2193. Following Gabriel Cruz, years before the Bloodlines story.
Alien by Shalvey & Broccardo Vol. 1: Thaw – Set in 2195.
Collects Alien (2023) #1-5.
Alien: Bloodlines – Set in 2200.
Collects Alien (2021) #1-6.
Alien: Revival – Set in 2202.
Collects Alien (2021) #7-12.
Alien: Icarus – Set in 2205.
Collects Alien (2022) #1-6.
Alien by Shalvey & Broccardo Vol. 2: Descendant – Set in 2208.
Collects Alien Annual (2023) #1 and Alien (2023B) #1-4.
Aliens: Aftermath #1 – Set in 2214.

Aliens Vs. Marvel

The storyline unfolds in a futuristic, non-616 timeline, where Xenomorphs have invaded Earth. The once-dominant Avengers are older, battle-worn, and pushed to their limits

Aliens vs. Avengers by Jonathan Hickman and Esad Ribić.
Collects Aliens vs. Avengers (2024) #1-4.

Alien Comics: The Dark Horse Era

Dark Horse Comics began publishing Alien stories in 1988, just two years after the release of James Cameron’s Aliens. The debut miniseries, originally titled Aliens by writer Mark Verheiden and artist Mark A. Nelson, picked up after the events of the film, following Newt and Hicks as central characters (later renamed due to film continuity). Its popularity established Dark Horse as the home of the Alien expanded universe for over thirty years.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Dark Horse produced a steady stream of miniseries and one-shots, developing new colonies, corporate conspiracies, and experimental xenomorph hybrids. Dark Horse also spearheaded major crossover events such as Aliens vs. Predator (see at the bottom of the article), which not only became a long-running comic franchise but also inspired video games and eventually two feature films.

The Marvel Omnibus Reprints

Aliens: The Original Years Omnibus Vol. 1
Collects Aliens (vol. 1) #1-6; Aliens (vol. 2) #1-4; Aliens: Earth War #1-4; Aliens: Genocide #1-4; Aliens: Hive #1-4; Aliens: Tribes; Aliens: Newt’s Tale #1-2; Alien 3 #1-3; Aliens: Space Marines #1-12; “Countdown” from Dark Horse Insider #14-27; “Theory of Alien Propagation” from Dark Horse Presents #24, “Part One: Advent” and “Part Two: Terminus” from 42-43, “The Alien” from 56; “Reapers” from Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special.
Aliens: The Original Years Omnibus Vol. 2
Collects Aliens: Rogue #1-4; Aliens: Colonial Marines #1-10; Aliens: Labyrinth #1-4; Aliens: Salvation; Aliens: Music of the Spears #1-4; Aliens: Stronghold #1-4; “Horror Show” from Dark Horse Comics #3-5, “The Taste” from 11, “Backsplash” from 12-13, “Cargo” from 15-16, “Alien” from 17-19; “Earth Angel” from Previews (vol. 3) #1-12 and (vol. 4) #1; “Sacrifice” and “Crusade” from Aliens magazine (vol. 2) #9-20.
Aliens: The Original Years Omnibus Vol. 3
Collects Aliens: Berserker #1-4; Aliens: Mondo Heat #1; Aliens: Lovesick #1; Aliens: Pig #1; Aliens Special #1; Aliens: Havoc #1-2; Aliens: Purge #1; Aliens: Alchemy #1-3; Alien Resurrection #1-2; Aliens: Kidnapped #1-3; Aliens: Survival #1-3; Aliens: Glass Corridor #1; Aliens: Stalker #1; Aliens: Wraith #1; Aliens: Apocalypse – The Destroying Angels #1-4; Aliens: Xenogenesis #1-4; Aliens #1-4; “Mondo Pest” from Dark Horse Comics #22-24; “Incubation” from Dark Horse Presents #101-102, “Borderlines” from #121, “Headhunters” from 117, Once in a Lifetime” from #140; “Tourist Season” from Dark Horse Presents Annual 1997; “Lucky” from A Decade of Dark Horse #3; Aliens story from Free Comic Book Day 2009: Aliens #1.
Aliens: The Original Years Omnibus Vol. 4
Collects Aliens: Fast Track to Heaven; Aliens: Colonial Marines – No Man Left Behind #1; Alien: Isolation #1; Aliens: Defiance #1-12; Aliens: Dead Orbit #1-4; Aliens: Dust to Dust #1-4; William Gibson’s Alien 3 #1-5; Aliens: Resistance #1-4; Aliens: Rescue #1-4; Alien: The Original Screenplay #1-5; “Inhuman Condition” from Dark Horse Presents (vol. 2) #12-17; “Extravehicular” from Free Comic Book Day 2016: Aliens #1.

The Marvel Epic Collection Reprints

Aliens Epic Collection: The Original Years Vol. 1
Collects Aliens (vol. 1) #1-6, Aliens (vol. 2) #1-4, Aliens: Earth War #1-4, and material from Dark Horse Presents (1986) #24 and #42-43.
Aliens Epic Collection: The Original Years Vol. 2
Collects Aliens: Genocide #1-4, Aliens: Hive #1-4 And Aliens: Tribes, Aliens: Newt’s Tale #1-2 – Plus Material From Dark Horse Insider #14-27, Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special And Dark Horse Presents (1986) #56.
Aliens Epic Collection: The Original Years Vol. 3 (2025)
Collects Alien 3 #1-3, Aliens: Space Marines #1-12, Aliens: Rogue #1-4, Aliens: Labyrinth #1-4 and material from Dark Horse Comics #3-5, #11-13, Preview (1993) #1-12, Previews (1994) #1, and Aliens Magazine #9-12.

The Dark Horse Aliens Stories in Order

“Theory of Alien Propagation” from Dark Horse Presents #24
Aliens (vol. 1)
Aliens (vol. 2)
Aliens: Earth War
“Part One: Advent” and “Part Two: Terminus” from Dark Horse Presents #42-43
“Countdown” from Dark Horse Insider #14-27
“Reapers” from Dark Horse Presents Fifth Anniversary Special
“The Alien” from Dark Horse Presents #56
Aliens: Genocide
Aliens: Hive
Aliens: Tribes
Aliens: Newt’s Tale
Alien 3
Aliens: Space Marines
“Horror Show” from Dark Horse Comics #3-5
“Earth Angel” from Previews (vol. 3) #1-12 and (vol. 4) #1
“Sacrifice” and “Crusade” from Aliens magazine (vol. 2) #9-12
Aliens: Rogue
“The Taste” from Dark Horse Comics #11
“Backsplash” from Dark Horse Comics #12-13
Aliens: Labyrinth
Aliens: Colonial Marines
“Crusade” from Aliens magazine (vol. 2) #13-20
Aliens: Salvation
“Cargo” from Dark Horse Comics #15-16
“Alien” from Dark Horse Comics #17-19
Aliens: Music of the Spears
Aliens: Stronghold
“Mondo Pest” from Dark Horse Comics #22-24
Aliens: Berserker
“Incubation” from Dark Horse Presents #101-102
Aliens: Mondo Heat
“Lucky” from A Decade of Dark Horse #3
Aliens: Lovesick
Aliens: Pig
“Headhunters” from Dark Horse Presents #117
“Borderlines” from Dark Horse Presents #121
Aliens Special
Aliens: Havoc
Aliens: Purge
Aliens: Alchemy
Alien Resurrection
Aliens: Kidnapped
“Tourist Season” from Dark Horse Presents Annual 1997
Aliens: Survival
Aliens: Glass Corridor
Aliens: Stalker
Aliens: Wraith
“Once in a Lifetime” from Dark Horse Presents #140
Aliens: Apocalypse – The Destroying Angels

The Xenogenesis Crossover

Predator: Xenogenesis
Aliens vs. Predator: Xenogenesis
Aliens: Xenogenesis

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Aliens story from Free Comic Book Day 2009: Aliens #1
Aliens
Aliens: Fast Track to Heaven
“Inhuman Condition” from Dark Horse Presents (vol. 2) #12-17
Aliens: Colonial Marines – No Man Left Behind
Alien: Isolation
“Extravehicular” from Free Comic Book Day 2016: Aliens #1
Aliens: Defiance

The Fire and Stone Crossover

Aliens: Field Report
Aliens: Fire and Stone
Prometheus: Fire and Stone
Alien vs. Predator: Fire and Stone
Predator: Fire and Stone
Prometheus: Fire and Stone – Omega
Predator: Life and Death

The Life and Death Crossover

Predator: Life and Death
Prometheus: Life and Death
Aliens: Life and Death
Alien vs. Predator: Life and Death
Prometheus: Life and Death – Final Conflict

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Aliens: Dead Orbit
Aliens: Dust to Dust
Aliens: Resistance
Aliens: Rescue
Alien: The Original Screenplay
William Gibson’s Alien 3

Predator Comics in Order

Predator Comics: The Marvel Era

Almost two years after launching its new Alien comics line, Marvel revived the Predator franchise in 2022 with writer Ed Brisson and artist Kev Walker. With two more miniseries, the whole story became known as the Theta Saga. By late 2023, Marvel expanded further by announcing crossover projects that placed the iconic monsters into the wider Marvel superhero universe.

Predator: The Theta Saga

The saga centers on Theta, a young girl whose family is massacred during a Predator hunt. Unlike most victims, she survives, and as she grows into adulthood, Theta dedicates her life to hunting Predators across space. Armed with scavenged technology and driven by revenge, she becomes one of the few humans to successfully track and kill Yautja.

Predator: The Theta Saga (2025)
Collects Predator (2022) #1-6, Predator (2023) #1-5, and Predator: The Last Hunt (2024) #1-4.

The complete Theta story by Ed Brisson and Kev Walker was also published in three trade paperbacks, one for each miniseries.

Predator Vol. 1: Day Of The Hunter
Collects Predator (2022) #1-6.
Predator Vol. 2: The Preserve
Collects Predator (2023) #1-5.
Predator: The Last Hunt
Collects Predator: The Last Hunt (2024) #1-4.

Predator Vs Marvel Superheroes

Predator vs. Wolverine
Collects Predator vs. Wolverine #1-4.
Predator vs. Black Panther
Collects Predator vs. Black Panther (2024) #1-4.
Predator vs. Spider-Man
Collects Predator vs. Spider-Man (2025) #1-4.
Predator: Black, White & Blood (2026)
Collects Predator: Black, White & Blood (2025) #1-4.
Predator Kills the Marvel Universe (2026)
Collects Predator Kills the Marvel Universe (2025) #1-5.

Predator Comics: The Dark Horse Era

Dark Horse Comics launched the Predator line in 1989, just two years after the release of John McTiernan’s original film. The first series, Predator: Concrete Jungle by Mark Verheiden and Chris Warner, helped establish the Yautja’s hunting culture and set the tone for decades of expanded-universe storytelling. Over the next three decades, Dark Horse published an extensive library of Predator titles, ranging from standalone miniseries to long-running crossovers.